Location for Carver-Spencer Heritage Bowl football rivalry game in Columbus changes again
Four days after announcing one rivalry game would be played at a different location, the Muscogee County School District reversed its decision.
So the 62nd edition of the Heritage Bowl, the annual high school football rivalry game between Carver and Spencer in Columbus, will be played on Aug. 23 (7 p.m. kickoff) at the usual site, A.J. McClung Memorial Stadium.
On Thursday, MCSD said in a news release that renovations at the city-owned stadium prompted the district to move the game to MCSD-owned Kinnett Stadium.
Monday, however, MCSD said in another news release that city and school district officials collaborated over the weekend, and the vendor upgrading the lights at McClung agreed to divert resources from another project to ensure the work would be done in time for the game.
“This change is effective immediately and ensures that attendees can expect the same level of excitement and community spirit that the Heritage Bowl is known for,” MCSD communications director Kimberly Wright said in the news release.
Last season’s Heritage Bowl
Last season’s Heritage Bowl ended in violent chaos. Officials cut the game short at the end of the third quarter after a fight among four female students broke out in the stands and a mass stampede resulted when someone yelled, “Gun!”
The rumor of a gun seen inside Memorial during last year’s Heritage Bowl wasn’t substantiated. But additional fights among juveniles ensued in the parking lot, and three juveniles were arrested on gun possession charges outside the stadium. In total, 10 juveniles were arrested for alleged crimes committed at the event.
All of which prompted Black community leaders to call for accountability and action.
The Ledger-Enquirer asked Wright what MCSD is doing to improve the security at this year’s game. This story will be updated when that answer is received.
This story was originally published August 5, 2024 at 5:05 PM.
